While coach Kenneth Hiscock would like nothing more than to defeat nearby rivals Bloomingdale and Riverview, if the Wolves are to return to the playoffs, the earlier games against district rivals Plant and Alonso will mean more. A home win against Alonso on Sept. 19 could put Newsome in the driver’s seat for the other spot with Plant. And the Oct. 17 game against Plant could go a long way in determining whether Newsome is a contender or pretender.

Huddle highlight

Relying on depth: Newsome has strength in numbers with 27 seniors, 18 of whom are starters. The defensive line returns intact. Austin Cobb, who kicked a 49-yard field goal last fall, is a senior who also kicks off and punts. His leg might ultimately decide the Wolves’ playoff fate. The backfield has a solid one-two punch in returners Bruce Anderson III and Chris Bryant.

Known quantities

RB/S Bruce Anderson III, Sr.: A co-captain, Anderson will be counted on the carry the load on offense and shut down the opposing running game from in back on defense. He is the returning leader in tackles (87).

RB Chris Bryant, Sr.: Bryant, part of an experienced one-two backfield punch, is a breakaway threat. He tallied 1,156 all-purpose yards in 2013

OL/DL Nick and Vince Raffaele, Srs.: The twins are proven leaders on both sides of the ball.

OLB/LB Brett Lindbeck, Sr.: A standout on defense (51 tackles, three sacks) sure to get his share of tackles behind a strong defensive front, he can also spell the running backs.

Up-and-comers

WR Donovan Geter, Sr.: A basketball standout taking a crack at football, he is a big target at 6-foot-5, 190 pounds.

MLB Dylan Throneburg, So.: Called up from the JV squad at the end of last year, he showed enough grit to earn a starting spot.

Coach’s corner
“They’re a very unselfish group of guys that have a common goal. There’s a lot of returners, so they know what to expect.” — Hiscock